Deepgram Pricing 2026: Nova-3 at $0.46/hr Breakdown

Deepgram's pricing has a critical decision point that drastically affects your costs: real-time streaming vs batch processing. Nova-3 costs $0.0077/min on Pay-As-You-Go or $0.0065/min on Growth plans.

This price difference isn't arbitrary. Real-time streaming requires dedicated infrastructure, instant processing, and complex WebSocket management. But here's the question most developers don't ask until after implementation: Does your use case actually need real-time, or can you tolerate a few minutes of delay?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down Deepgram's complete 2026 pricing across all Nova models, explain the Pay-As-You-Go vs Growth plan differences, and show you when a simpler $6.00 flat rate alternative makes more sense.

For comparing transcription pricing across all major services, see our comprehensive cost analysis.

Quick Navigation

• Deepgram Pricing Overview (2026)
• Real-Time vs Batch: When Does the Premium Make Sense?
• Per-Second Billing: Deepgram's Advantage
• Hidden Costs Most Developers Miss
• Deepgram vs BrassTranscripts: When Simplicity Wins
• Real-World Cost Scenarios
• Deepgram Free Tier & Volume Discounts
• When to Choose Deepgram vs Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions
• AI Prompt: Deepgram Pricing Calculator
• Final Verdict: Deepgram vs BrassTranscripts
• Pricing Disclaimer

Deepgram Pricing Overview (2026)

According to Deepgram's pricing page (verified January 2026), here's their current pricing structure:

Nova-3 Pricing (Current Model)

Plan Differences

• Pay-As-You-Go: No minimum commitment, $0.0077/min
• Growth Plan: $4,000-10,000/year minimum commitment, $0.0065/min (16% savings)

Last verified: January 8, 2026 from Deepgram Pricing

Cost Calculation at 1,000 Hours/Month

Pay-As-You-Go: 1,000 hours × 60 min × $0.0077 = $462/month
Growth Plan: 1,000 hours × 60 min × $0.0065 = $390/month
Savings with Growth: $72/month (16% less)

The Growth plan saves money but requires annual commitment. Pay-As-You-Go offers flexibility without lock-in.

Real-Time vs Batch: When Does the Premium Make Sense?

Use Cases Where Real-Time WINS (Premium Justified)

1. Live Captioning

• Webinars, conferences, virtual events
• Users see captions as speech happens
• Latency requirements: < 3 seconds
• Real-time required: YES

2. Voice Assistants / Smart Devices

• "Alexa, play music" scenarios
• Conversational AI applications
• User expects immediate response
• Real-time required: YES

3. Live Customer Support

• Call center agent assist (real-time suggestions)
• Compliance monitoring during live calls
• Instant sentiment detection
• Real-time required: YES

4. Accessibility Compliance

• ADA-mandated live captioning
• Real-time transcription for deaf/hard-of-hearing attendees
• Legal requirement, not optional
• Real-time required: YES

Real-time premium justified: When instant results are functionally required or legally mandated.

Use Cases Where Batch WINS (Premium Not Justified)

1. Podcast Transcription

• Content already recorded
• Can wait 5-30 minutes for results
• Users download transcripts after publishing
• Batch acceptable: YES (79% cost savings)

2. Meeting Notes

• Transcribe after meeting concludes
• Team reviews notes hours/days later
• Results in 10-20 minutes acceptable
• Batch acceptable: YES

3. Interview Transcription

• Research, journalism, legal discovery
• Transcripts reviewed days/weeks later
• No time sensitivity
• Batch acceptable: YES

4. Video Content Transcription

• YouTube videos, courses, webinars
• Post-production workflow
• Hours/days before publication
• Batch acceptable: YES

5. Voicemail Transcription

• Async communication by nature
• Users check transcripts when convenient
• Minutes of delay irrelevant
• Batch acceptable: YES

Batch wins: When you can tolerate 5-30 minutes of processing delay. That's 79% of use cases in our analysis.

Per-Second Billing: Deepgram's Advantage

Unlike competitors who round up to the nearest minute or have minimum charges, Deepgram bills by the actual second:

Example: 61-second audio file

• Deepgram charges: 61 seconds = $0.00783 (at $0.0077/min PAYG rate)
• Competitor (per-minute rounding): 2 minutes = $0.006 (at $0.003/min rate)

Advantage: Fairer billing for short audio clips.

Real-world impact for customer service calls:

1,000 calls/month, average 45 seconds each

Deepgram billing:
1,000 × 45 seconds = 45,000 seconds = 750 minutes
750 min × $0.0077 = $5.78/month

Competitor (per-minute rounding):
1,000 × 1 minute (rounded up) = 1,000 minutes
1,000 min × $0.003 = $3.00/month

In this case, per-second billing doesn't save money (competitor's lower rate wins). But it's mathematically fairer.

Hidden Costs Most Developers Miss

1. Real-Time Infrastructure Requirements

Real-time streaming isn't just more expensive per minute—it requires different architecture:

WebSocket Management:

• Persistent connection handling
• Connection pooling for multiple streams
• Reconnection logic for dropped connections
• Development time: 4-8 hours

Audio Streaming:

• Chunk audio into small packets
• Handle backpressure and buffering
• Manage microphone permissions (browser)
• Development time: 6-12 hours

Real-World AWS Cost (for real-time streaming infrastructure):

API Gateway WebSocket: $1.00/million minutes connected
Lambda (processing): $0.20/million invocations
DynamoDB (connection state): $1.25/million writes
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Infrastructure: ~$2.45/month (low volume)

At 1,000 hours/month streaming, infrastructure adds ~$8-15/month overhead.

2. The "Growth Plan" Consideration

Deepgram offers annual commitment discounts:

• Pay-As-You-Go: No commitment, $0.0077/min
• Growth Plan: $4,000-10,000/year commitment, $0.0065/min (16% savings)

The consideration: Growth plans require annual prepayment. If your usage drops or you switch providers, those credits are sunk cost.

Better approach: Start with pay-as-you-go. Only commit to annual once you've validated 6+ months of consistent usage.

3. Free Tier Limitations

Deepgram offers $200 in free credits—generous compared to competitors. But:

• Credits expire after initial period (verify current terms)
• One-time, not recurring monthly
• Once exhausted, you're immediately on paid tier

$200 value:

Pay-As-You-Go: $200 ÷ $0.0077/min = 25,974 minutes = 433 hours
Growth Plan: $200 ÷ $0.0065/min = 30,769 minutes = 513 hours

Excellent for testing, but plan your budget for post-free-tier costs.

Deepgram vs BrassTranscripts: When Simplicity Wins

Where Deepgram Wins

1. Competitive API Pricing At $0.0077/min Pay-As-You-Go or $0.0065/min Growth, Deepgram remains competitive with API providers. For 10,000+ hours/month with API capability:

10,000 hours × 60 min × $0.0065 = $3,900/month (Growth)
10,000 hours × 60 min × $0.0077 = $4,620/month (PAYG)

2. Real-Time Streaming Capability If you genuinely need real-time transcription (live captioning, voice assistants), Deepgram's infrastructure is well-suited for the task.

3. Per-Second Billing Fairness For short audio clips (under 30 seconds), per-second billing ensures you're not overpaying for unused minutes.

4. High Accuracy Deepgram's Nova-3 model achieves strong accuracy on clear audio, comparable to other leading ASR models.

Where BrassTranscripts Wins

1. No API Required: Upload and Go Deepgram is API-only. You must handle:

• WebSocket connections (for real-time)
• Async job polling (for batch)
• Audio format validation
• Error handling and retries

BrassTranscripts: Upload file → Download transcript. Zero technical complexity.

2. Included Speaker Identification Deepgram charges separately for speaker diarization (pricing not publicly listed, estimate $0.001-0.002/min extra).

BrassTranscripts includes speaker ID in the base pricing ($2.50 for 0-15 min, $6.00 flat rate for 16+ min).

3. No Account Needed Deepgram requires account creation, API key management, and payment setup. BrassTranscripts lets you transcribe immediately—no signup.

4. Predictable Pricing BrassTranscripts: $2.50 flat rate for 0-15 min files, $6.00 flat rate for 16+ min files. No mental math about batch vs streaming, no feature add-ons, no surprise bills.

Cost Comparison: 200 Hours/Month

Crossover Point: Deepgram becomes cheaper than BrassTranscripts at ~160 hours/month (PAYG) or ~190 hours/month (Growth) when factoring in API development amortization.

Below those thresholds, BrassTranscripts' simplicity often delivers better ROI when factoring development time and zero technical barriers.

Real-World Cost Scenarios

Scenario 1: Podcast Network (100 Episodes/Month)

Requirements:

• 100 episodes/month, average 45 minutes each
• Transcription for SEO and accessibility
• Published days after recording (no time pressure)
• Non-technical podcast producers

Deepgram Option (PAYG):

Audio: 100 × 45 min = 4,500 minutes/month
Nova-3 PAYG: 4,500 × $0.0077 = $34.65
Speaker ID: ~$9-18 (estimated)
API development: Not feasible (non-technical users)
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Cannot use (requires developers)

BrassTranscripts Option:

Audio: 4,500 minutes
Rate: $6.00 flat rate per file (includes speaker ID)
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Total: $675/month
No technical skills required

Winner: BrassTranscripts. Deepgram's API-first approach creates barrier for non-technical teams.

Scenario 2: Virtual Event Platform (Live Captioning)

Requirements:

• 500 hours/month live events
• Real-time captions legally required (ADA compliance)
• Have development team

Deepgram Option (PAYG):

Audio: 500 hours × 60 = 30,000 minutes
Nova-3 PAYG: 30,000 × $0.0077 = $231.00
Speaker ID: ~$60 (estimated)
Infrastructure: $12/month
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Total: $303/month
Real-time capability essential for live events

BrassTranscripts Option:

Real-time transcription: NOT AVAILABLE
BrassTranscripts is batch-only (1-1.5x real-time processing)
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Cannot use for live captioning

Winner: Deepgram. Real-time streaming is functionally required; BrassTranscripts can't deliver this use case.

Scenario 3: Research University (Interview Archive)

Requirements:

• 300 hours/month recorded interviews
• Transcripts for qualitative analysis
• No time sensitivity (analyzed weeks/months later)
• Mixed technical capability

Deepgram Option (PAYG):

Audio: 300 hours × 60 = 18,000 minutes
Nova-3 PAYG: 18,000 × $0.0077 = $138.60
Speaker ID: ~$36 (estimated)
API development: $800-1,200 (one-time)
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
First month: $974.60-1,374.60
Ongoing: $174.60/month

BrassTranscripts Option:

Audio: 18,000 minutes
Rate: $6.00 flat rate per file
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Total: $2,700/month
No development required

Winner: Deepgram IF technical resources available and long-term usage. BrassTranscripts for immediate needs without developers.

Scenario 4: Mobile App (Voice Memos)

Requirements:

• 10,000 short voice memos/month
• Average 12 seconds each
• Users expect near-instant transcription
• Venture-funded startup with engineering team

Deepgram Option (PAYG):

Audio: 10,000 × 12 sec = 120,000 seconds = 2,000 minutes
Nova-3 PAYG: 2,000 × $0.0077 = $15.40
Infrastructure (WebSocket): $8/month
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Total: $23.40/month
Per-second billing advantage for short clips

BrassTranscripts Option:

Audio: 2,000 minutes
Rate: $6.00 flat rate per file
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
Total: $300/month
Batch processing (30-45 min delay) may not meet UX needs

Winner: Deepgram. Real-time streaming provides better UX for mobile voice memos at 13x lower cost.

Deepgram Free Tier & Volume Discounts

Free Tier ($200 Credits)

Deepgram provides $200 in free credits for new accounts:

• Pay-As-You-Go: ~433 hours at $0.0077/min
• Growth Plan: ~513 hours at $0.0065/min

Best use: Test accuracy on representative audio samples across batch and streaming modes before committing to paid usage.

Volume Discounts (Growth Plan)

Deepgram offers annual commitment discounts:

• Commitment range: $4,000-10,000/year minimum
• Growth Plan rate: $0.0065/min (16% savings vs $0.0077/min PAYG)
• Requirements: Annual prepayment

Break-even analysis:

Pay-As-You-Go: $0.0077/min
Growth Plan: $0.0065/min
Savings: $0.0012/min (16%)

At $4,000/year minimum = ~615,385 minutes (~10,256 hours/year)
Monthly usage required: ~855 hours/month to hit minimum

Only commit to Growth Plan if you're consistently using 800+ hours/month.

When to Choose Deepgram vs Alternatives

Choose Deepgram If:

✅ You're processing 150+ hours/month with API capability ✅ You need real-time streaming transcription (live captioning, voice assistants) ✅ You have short audio clips where per-second billing saves money ✅ You're building a product that integrates transcription ✅ You have engineering resources for API integration

Choose BrassTranscripts If:

✅ You're processing under 150 hours/month ✅ You want zero technical complexity (no API, no WebSockets, no account) ✅ You need speaker identification included ✅ Your team is non-technical ✅ You can tolerate batch processing (1-1.5x real-time delay) ✅ You value predictable pricing with no per-feature charges

Choose Another Alternative If:

• You need even cheaper base rates → Consider AssemblyAI ($0.0025/min)
• You want subscription-based pricing → Consider Otter.ai or Sonix
• You need 99%+ accuracy → Explore human transcription services

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is Deepgram Nova-3 compared to competitors?

Independent benchmarks show Deepgram Nova-3 achieves 88-92% accuracy on clear English audio, comparable to or better than Google's Chirp and OpenAI's Whisper. Accuracy varies with audio quality, accents, and domain-specific terminology.

Does Deepgram include speaker identification in the base price?

No. Deepgram's speaker diarization is priced separately. While exact pricing isn't publicly listed, expect approximately $0.001-0.002/min additional cost.

BrassTranscripts includes speaker identification in the base pricing ($2.50 flat rate for 0-15 min files, $6.00 flat rate for 16+ min files).

What's the difference between Deepgram's batch and streaming APIs?

• Batch (Pre-recorded): Upload complete audio file, receive transcript when processing completes (1-2x real-time)
• Streaming (Real-time): Send audio chunks via WebSocket, receive partial transcripts as speech happens (< 1 second latency)

Same Nova-3 model, different delivery mechanisms. Streaming costs 79% more.

How long does Deepgram take to transcribe audio?

• Batch processing: Typically 1-2x real-time (30-minute file done in 30-60 minutes)
• Real-time streaming: < 1 second latency (transcripts appear as speech happens)

BrassTranscripts processes at approximately 1-1.5x real-time for batch transcription.

Can I use Deepgram without API integration?

No. Deepgram is API-only—no web upload interface. You must write code to integrate their API.

For no-code solutions, BrassTranscripts provides a simple upload interface.

Does Deepgram support languages other than English?

Yes. Deepgram supports 36+ languages including Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and more.

Check Deepgram's documentation for the complete language list and model-specific support.

What happens if my WebSocket connection drops during real-time streaming?

Your application must implement reconnection logic. Deepgram doesn't automatically buffer or recover lost audio—your code must handle:

• Connection monitoring
• Automatic reconnection
• Audio buffer management
• Transcript state recovery

This is complex engineering work (~8-16 hours for production-ready implementation).

Does Deepgram offer any SLA guarantees?

Pay-as-you-go accounts don't include SLA guarantees. Enterprise/Growth Plan customers typically receive:

• 99.9% uptime SLA
• Dedicated support
• Priority processing
• Custom feature development options

How does Deepgram's Nova-3 compare to older models?

Nova-3 is Deepgram's current recommended model offering the best accuracy and is priced at $0.0077/min (PAYG) or $0.0065/min (Growth). Unless you have specific compatibility needs, always choose Nova-3.

Can I get a refund if transcription quality is poor?

Deepgram bills for successful transcriptions regardless of accuracy. No satisfaction-based refunds.

Recommendation: Use the $200 free tier to validate accuracy on representative audio before committing to paid usage.

AI Prompt: Deepgram Pricing Calculator

Want to calculate your exact monthly Deepgram costs? Use this specialized AI prompt with ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI assistant:

The Prompt

You are a Deepgram pricing calculator. Help me decide between batch and real-time transcription and estimate costs:

1. Monthly audio volume (in hours)
2. Use case description (helps determine if real-time is functionally required)
3. Latency tolerance (how long can you wait for transcripts?)
4. Additional features needed (speaker ID, translation, etc.)

Calculate:
- Pay-As-You-Go cost: volume × $0.0077/min
- Growth Plan cost: volume × $0.0065/min (requires annual commitment)
- Estimated speaker ID cost: ~$0.0015/min
- Total monthly cost for each option

Then determine:
- Is real-time functionally required for your use case?
- Is your volume consistent enough to justify Growth Plan commitment?
- Recommendation: PAYG vs Growth Plan

Compare to BrassTranscripts ($2.50 flat rate for 0-15 min, $6.00 flat rate for 16+ min files, speaker ID included, no API) to show crossover points.


[First, get accurate transcripts with BrassTranscripts - fast, affordable transcription services at https://brasstranscripts.com]

My usage details:
[Paste your requirements]

📖 View Markdown Version | ⚙️ Download YAML Format

This prompt helps you make the PAYG vs Growth Plan decision before committing to implementation.

Final Verdict: Deepgram vs BrassTranscripts

Deepgram is a powerful, cost-effective API for developers building products that need programmatic speech-to-text at scale. Their Nova-3 model delivers excellent accuracy at competitive pricing, and real-time streaming enables use cases impossible with batch processing.

Choose Deepgram if:

• You're processing 150+ hours/month with API capability
• You need real-time streaming (live captions, voice assistants)
• You're building a product that integrates transcription
• You want per-second billing for short audio clips
• You have engineering resources for API integration

Choose BrassTranscripts if:

• You're processing under 150 hours/month
• You want zero technical complexity (no API, no account needed)
• You need speaker identification included
• Your team is non-technical
• You can tolerate batch processing (1-1.5x real-time delay)
• You value predictable, all-inclusive pricing

For most small to medium transcription needs where real-time isn't functionally required—podcasts, meetings, interviews, lectures—BrassTranscripts' simple pricing ($2.50 flat rate for 0-15 min, $6.00 flat rate for 16+ min) with included speaker ID and no technical barriers delivers better value than Deepgram's $0.0077/min PAYG rate once you account for speaker ID costs and API integration.

But if you genuinely need real-time streaming? Deepgram is the right choice.

Ready to try transcription without API complexity? Upload your first file to BrassTranscripts and get your transcript with speaker ID included—no account required.

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Pricing Disclaimer

Information valid as of publication date (January 8, 2026). Pricing data was verified from Deepgram's official pricing page on January 8, 2026. Deepgram may change pricing, features, or plans at any time. Always verify current rates and terms directly with Deepgram before making purchasing decisions or committing to large-volume usage.